


my mind is occupied by thoughts of your mouth on mine

by MatildaSwan



Category: Holby City
Genre: Dogs, Elinor Lives, F/F, Feelings, Femslash February, Inappropriate Workplace Relations, Pillow Talk, Public Display of Affection, Raf/Fletch visible on the peripheries, being handsy in public, shenanigans under the table
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:49:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9709064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatildaSwan/pseuds/MatildaSwan
Summary: Five time Bernie and Serena were interrupted kissing at (in)opportune times (+ one time they were not)





	

**Author's Note:**

> My entry to @janetfraiser/artofnovascotia art competition which fortuitously also managed to slot its completion in with the fluff!fest. Includes some domestic pillow talk for @merlystreeeps. Ain't life grand?
> 
> Posting from Australia on Valentine's Day, so please do you all enjoy the day whenever you get to it in your timezones. 
> 
> CW: for a touch of emotional panic and abandonment issues from Serena and some unworthy of love feelings from Bernie

 

Their laughter rings out across Albie’s. Fletch grins at his own joke as Serena giggles and Raf chuckles and Bernie honks. Honks her great goose honk which gets Fletch cackling and Raf guffawing and Serena huffing which only makes Bernie bark louder and then so do the boys and soon Serena is gripping the table not to fall off her chair as tears stream down her face.  
****

Eventually the four of them manage to calm down to heavy breathing and Serena wipes her eyes dry. She leans over to pick up the bottle of wine she and Bernie are sharing and realises she cannot even remember what the punchline was as she refills her glass.

Albie’s is warm and full of hospital employees scattered around in various clusters. Zosia and Jac at the bar, a group of junior doctors in the couches in the corner, and Serena recognises a smattering of other familiar faces around the other tables.

Dom passes them by on his way to the bar, catches Bernie’s eye and gives a small wave. Bernie smiles and nods as he walks by, before turning back to pay attention to her wine and Raf, currently in the middle of a story about one of today’s patiences. The night goes on and the four of them chat as they drink: Bernie and Serena working through their bottle of red as the two men match each other pint for pint.

At some point around the three pint point Raf starts retelling a joke Mickey told him over breakfast that morning and completely messes up the punch line. He tries to corrects himself three times as Fletch laughs until Bernie has a crack at ending it with a similar version she had heard before. Only her version is a different joke and it makes even less sense than Raf’s version and they all give up entirely.

Raf throws his hands in the air before huffing into his pint. Fletch looks at him with reddened cheeks and Raf looks back with a smile growing behind his glass. Bernie flops her head to the side with her eyes towards Serena. Serena glances her way to lock eyes, keeping the two men grinning at one another in her peripheries.

The moment lingers — two pairs gazing and smiling at one another in company — and Serena is struck with the acute sensation of being on a double date.

She considers leaning over to Bernie and whispering her new insight in her ear. Then she remembers the gossip that rans itself around the NHS windmill about the two of them only a few weeks ago and thinks better of it. If something is happening between Raf and Fletch it really is no one else’s business, Serena thinks reasonably, and they ought to be left along to figure it out in their own time.

She turns her attention to Bernie instead, and feels the familiar itch to reach out and touch start to burn in her fingertips. Serena constantly wants to touch Bernie, spends too much of her time thinking about it since her return from the Ukraine. A lot of it is lust, obviously, but there is another part of Serena that simply wants to make sure Bernie is there. To check that Bernie is really there, with her, and not a million miles away and only here in Serena’s dreams. Serena feels her stomach sink at the thought.

It still happens, sometimes — the Bernie induced anxiety that plagued her all those weeks — when Serena wakes in the middle of the night in an empty bed and it takes her a few moments to remember Bernie is on night shift or stayed at her flat that night but has actually come back: has actually come back to Serena.

It usually takes her a minute or two to calm down properly and she is thankful the sensation is not as intense as it used to be. She knows it will pass entirely, given time, so she gently brushes her arm against Bernie as she picks up her glass and brings it to her lips — just to make sure Bernie really is there and set her own mind at ease — and buries her feeling in her wine.

Serena manages to keep her hands to herself until they are both slightly past tipsy; manages to quell the urge to reach out to Bernie until the bottle they are splitting is two thirds drunk.

It is half an accident, really, when she brushes her knee against Bernie thigh. Fletch is regaling them with another joke and she is simply adjusting her chair so she can hear better. But Bernie plays back and slides their thighs flush against one another.

Serena waits a few minutes, until Bernie has started carrying the conversation between the four of them, before slipping her hand under the table and placing it on Bernie’s knee. To her credit, Bernie keeps her cool: lets her legs fall open just a fraction. Serena takes another mouthful of wine as her fingers draw circles on the knobs of Bernie’s knees and her thumb plays with the outer seam of those sinful black jeans.

Fletch starts talking about football. Serena slides her hands up Bernie’s leg. Bernie catches her eye over her wine glass: a non-verbal plea, and nods sharply: silent ascent. Serena’s fingers creep diagonally across the course material and towards the apex of Bernie’s thighs. She keeps her attention on Fletch still talking as she climbs higher — slowly, laboriously, _finally —_ reaching the top of Bernie’s legs and brushes her pinky against the inner seam. She hears a tiny moan fall from Bernie’s mouth, not loud enough to draw attention but enough that Serena _knows._

Serena looks at Bernie, sparkle in her eyes. Bernie hurriedly reaches for her wine, hides her blush by necking the rest of the glass. Immediately pours herself another rather large helping and almost empties the bottle in the process. She reaches over to refill Serena’s glass, spreading her legs to let Serena’s hand fall between them. Serena pushes up as Bernie reaches over. Bernie snaps her legs shut as she sits back, trapping Serena’s hand against her centre. 

Serena shifts her chair slightly, allowing her to bend at the elbow, and presses against Bernie a touch harder. She can feel Bernie’s heat through the material of her jeans and Serena bites back a whimper. She catches Bernie’s eye and quirks an eyebrow. Sees a wave of want wash over Bernie’s face and her legs fall open again. Serena rubs firm once before retrieving her hand.

They both race through the rest of their wine. Bid a smirking Raf and Fletch a hurried goodbye, wave to Morven sitting with Jasmine and Dom in the far corner, and leave in something of a rush.

While Albie’s had been warm with heating and the extra bodies outside was board-line frosty. Driving seems like a bad idea with the speed they finished that bottle and Serena pulls out her phone to order a cab. Before she can press call, Bernie grabs her arm and yanks her towards the alleyway at the side Albie’s and before Serena can mount any sort of defence she finds herself pushed against the wall.

She moans into the ferocity of Bernie’s kiss, returning its intensity with vigour. She has her fingers wound in blonde locks when Bernie breaks the kiss and starts working her way along Serena’s jaw. Serena lulls her head back against the wall with a sigh, her breath fogging in the air, her own hair snagging on the rough of the bricks.

“Can’t believe you were teasing like that,” Bernie mumbles against the hollow of Serena’s neck. She nips sharp. “You utter minx.”

“Should I be apologising?” Serena manages to bite out as Bernie's tongue and teeth scorch a trial back up to her jaw. Feels the ends of Bernie’s curl brush against her collarbone as she shakes her head.

“Nearly pinned you to the table…” Bernie trails off as she gets distracted by Serena’s gasps when she bites at her earlobe.

They hear a shriek, quickly muffled, to the left of them and the two spring apart like jackrabbits. They turn towards the sound and see Morven standing in the streetlight, hands over her mouth and eyes sparkling wide. Dom is standing at her side smirking and Jasmine is behind looking absolutely mortified.

Serena saw the same look on Ellie’s face when when was eight and walked in on her and Edward kissing in the kitchen. She wants the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

“We were just passing, um, going this way.” Jasmine gestures off the side as she speaks, face schooled blank with some sense of self preservation. A sense the other two obviously do not share as they ignore Jasmine’s lead and continue to ogle to two women stood rigid with embarrassment at having been caught drunkly necking in a gritty side alley by their subordinates.

“Ah, yes, good. Well, so were we,” Serena struggles out, trying to keep it together and failing marvellously.

Jasmine blushes, Morven beams, and Dom laughs out loud. Bernie steps in front of Serena and stares the three of them down.

“Not a word, you lot, not a single word,” she says, voice as gruff and steady as Serena has ever heard it. A part of her realises she is not really standing next to Bernie right now, but rather Major Wolfe. The thought affects Serena more than it has a right to and she bites her lip as the other woman keeps talking. “Or I will personally see that the three of you work Christmas, Boxing day, New Year’s Eve _and_ morning, as well as the early morning of every weekend for the rest of the year. Am I understood?”

All three nod vigorously and finally, finally, start walking away and towards the taxi rank. Bernie watches them jump into a free cab, newly pulled up and light shining, and finally lets out the breath she had been holding. Turns to look at Serena: red-faced with what Serena assumes is shame. Until Bernie bursts out laughing.

Serena watches as Bernie laughs, As her body shakes and she throws her head back: mouth open wide. Her breath mists in the gloom and picks up the yellow of the streetlight: it making her face glow and her hair shine. Serena thinks she looks like an angel and cannot help smiling.

Bernie keeps barking that ridiculous goose honk of hers and Serena cannot help laughing. They stumble towards one another, laughing, and cling to one another for support. They laugh and laugh and laugh until they are completely breathless. They are still laughing, in between attempts to catch their breath, when Raf and Fletch round the corner and walk into the alley way.

Serena turns towards them and notices the swing of two hands untangling to fall back by their owner’s side. She smiles at them, falls into a fresh peel of laugher, and does not say a word.

 

*

 

Jason sits comfortably in his heavy reclining armchair on one side of the living room as the credits of Countdown roll over the television screen. Bernie and Serena sit on the other side of the room: spread out on different ends of the three seater lounge, both of their legs curled under them and their feet resting on the same pillow. The credits end as the recording lapses and Jason turns off the tv.

“I’m going to shower,” Jason says as he stands up and puts the remote on the coffee table. “I’ll be back, my documentary starts in half an hour.”

“See you soon, darling,” Serena calls up the stairs before turning her attention towards Bernie: currently curled up and keeping her hands to herself. As she has been since Bernie arrived at the house minutes before dinner time; they just managed to squeeze in a hello kiss before Jason sat down to eat and the sank into the routine of the evening.

“Alone at last,” Serena says playfully, trying to tease Bernie out of her shell.

Bernie turns to smile at her but does not budge: keeps her hands curled in her lap and pulls her toes away from Serena and towards herself. Serena extends her leg and pokes her with a thickly socked foot. Bernie does not move. Pokes her again and sees Bernie’s blank face crack slightly at the corner. Pokes her one final time; shrieks when Bernie grabs it and holds tight.

Bernie turns her body and pulls her legs up to make a diamond in front of her. She place the captured foot in her lap and starts massaging, working at the knot of tendons under the ball of Serena’s foot she knows makes her turn to jelly. Serena sags down on the arm of the lounge and hums contentedly. Wiggles the toes of her other foot. Bernie takes the hint and grabs that one too.

They hear the bathroom door slam shut, shortly followed by the pipes of the house screaming as Jason turns on the shower. Bernie puts her handful of feet on the cushions, between her thigh and the back of the couch.

Serena looks up to complain and catches Bernie’s eye: keeps her eyes as Bernie shifts forward onto her knees and starts crawling up Serena’s body. Captures her lips is a heated kiss that makes Serena’s head spin and her toes tingle. Kisses her like burning until Serena’s lungs are on fire and she is melting into the couch.

Eventually Bernie breaks away and Serena moans at the loss. Gasps as she gains a hot wet mouth trailing down her neck. Her mouth stays open, trying to talk, but it takes her a few goes before she can gets words out.

“Somebody missed me,” Serena teased as Bernie nuzzles at her chest. She feels Bernie nod and tightens the loose embrace she has around Bernie’s shoulders. 

“Always miss you,” Bernie mumbles into the fabric of Serena’s shirt, nipping at her breast. Serena feels the force through several layers of material. “Office is lonely without you.”

“But we have both have tomorrow off,” Serena reminds her. They have been on alternating shifts for the past week and barely had a chance to talk in the brief moments they pass one another in the corridor. Like ships in the night. Bernie mouthes at a patch of bare skin of under the collar of Serena’s cardigan and looks up though her fringe.

“I cannot wait to take my time with you,” Bernie says and a shiver runs up Serena’s spine.

“Neither can I,” Serena says, her voice full of promise. Smiles a slow wide smile that makes Bernie’s eyes gleam. “I want you slow tonight.”

Serena reaches down place a finger under Bernie’s chin and guide her upward till their lips meet in an open mouthed kiss Serena wants to go on for as close to forever as she can manage. Does her very best to manage, until her jellied insides are quivering and she is so fuzzy she can barely breathe.

They are both so distracted by they do not hear the shower turn off. Nor do they hear the bathroom door opening and closing several minutes later, or the footsteps down the stairs that follow. Not even Jason picking up the remote and plonking down in his chair.

The do hear the tv turning on and they spring apart. Bernie rears up on her knees and snaps towards the tv; looking frantically around the couch for the remote thinking she has knelt on it. The channel changes and Serena knows the look for Jason and she sits up square against the armrest. She sees him, comfortable in his chair, far more interested in what David Attenborough has to say about meerkats than two women necking on the couch.

They look at each other: burst out laughing. Do not stop laughing until Jason gives them a hard “shush!” to be quiet. The collect themselves and rearranged their bodies: Bernie turning to lie on her back with Serena’s arms around her collarbones. The snuggle in close, tangling their feet, turn their attention to the television and watch in absolute silence.

 

*

 

The urge to spring clean has infected the Campbell residence and the three more or less permanent inhabitants divide up the rooms of the house and spend the morning working their way through their assigned workload.

Serena is in her ensuite wiping down the tiled walls of the shower. She throws her shoulder into one last swipe and stands back, wipes sweat off her brow with the back of her hand, and throws the sponge into the sink.She hears steps thump up the stairs as she turns on the shower to rise the walls off. Turns off the shower and hears a voice from the doorway of the ensuite.

“Oh, there you are! Though you were still in the living room. It’s always the last place you look, isn’t it?” Bernie says with a laugh. “The kitchen’s done, Jason is hanging out that last load of washing, and I promise I’ll sort out that mess I made in the garage my next weekend off.” Bernie vows, face solemn but eyes dancing.

“You’d better,” Serena says, menace lacing her voice, then softens. “Guess that means the house is finished then.”

She pulls off her gloves and throws them towards the bin: they land in the basin of the sink next to the sponge. She turns and flicks the lever of the shower on; rinses her hands under the steady stream. Gets her forearm wet reaching forward to turn the water off. Shakes her hands to remove the excess then dries her hands on her t-shirt. Turns to find Bernie looking at her midriff with a smirk on her lips.

“What?” Serena queries as Bernie keeps leering. Follows Bernie’s line of sight and looks down at the handprints staining the material on stomach. “Oh, hush! I’ll be getting changed in a minute anyway, I need a shower.”

“Oh, do you now?” Bernie queries, voice ladened with promise that makes Serena spine thrill. “Well then, Ms. Campbell, better get you in there then,” Bernie teases, eyes gleaming, and takes a step into the bathroom.

Serena smiles her reply and Bernie saunters forward, closing the space between them. Serena echoes her steps backwards into the shower and they close the gap between them and the wall. She smiles as she bumps against the wet tiles, the damp soaking her back through thin material.

She grins as hands are placed either side of her head and moans as Bernie leans forward to kiss her. Serena kisses her back, relishing the feel of Bernie’s lithe frame against hers, and runs her fingers Bernie’s arms. Rest her hands on bony shoulders as she opens her mouth and deepens the kiss. Keeps their lips locked as she pushes back firm and moves away from the wall: pivoting Bernie to the side and backwards and into the other wall of the shower.

Bernie smiles as she feels the tiles wet her shirt and sighs as Serena’s knee works its way between her own. She vaguely registers the side of the tap gently biting against her hip as she shifts her stance. Her fingers tangle in Serena’s slightly matted hair and Serena’s hips push into hers. She pushes back and feels the lever catch on the bone of her hip and give way.

Freezing cold water cascaded down from the shower head, drenching Serena’s back and Bernie’s left leg from the waist down. They spring apart with startled yelps, scrambling to avoid the spray. Bernie moulds herself into the corner, trying to fold herself along the spine. Serena flattens herself against the wall: up on tiptoes and arms splayed out to either side and sucks in her stomach.

Bernie’s arm darts out and flicks the level off, stopping the flow; relaxes and steps away from the corner. Looks at Serena: right side of her hair damp and hair sticking to her face, water dripping from her chin and down her neck to soaked t-shirt soaked. Serena looks at Bernie: pants darker black, shirt see-through, and bra visible through the sodden material. They make eye contact, both sets still opened wide with surprise, and burst out laughing. Bernie honks until she is hoarse and Serena keels over as her eyes well.

Eventually they calm. Bernie gasps to get her breath back in between gentle chuckles. Serena wipes tears and water drops from her cheeks. They look at each other again: eyes sparking and faces flushed rosy and wet. They both beam, lips wide and dimples deep, and hint of mischief creeps into to the corner of Serena’s smile.

She takes a step to the side and into the middle of the stall. Reaches forward, twists the level from freezing to warm, and turns the water back on. Stands under the spray and beckons Bernie to join as her clothes cling to her skin.

 

*

 

The ward is busy but not bustling and Serena exploits the manageable pace for an excuse to take a breather in the office between surgeries. She finds the door already open and Bernie looking at a stack of paperwork in front of her. Serena walks over to her desk and sits down; stares at Bernie staring in front of her until Bernie realises she is no longer alone.

“Do you think another trauma will come in if I wish hard enough?” Bernie asks, looking up at Serena.

“You can but dream,” Serena says with a laugh as Bernie goes back to staring at the stack stoically.

“Obviously I know all this paperwork is necessarily,” Bernie says as she picks up the top folder and opens it. Grips the top few sheets in her hand. “But today I… honestly I’d rather be doing anything else in the world.”

“Anything?” Serena asked, quirking an eyebrow and pursing her lips. 

“Absolutely anything,” Bernie replies earnestly, missing the tone of Serena voice, and looks up as she puts the papers in her hand back down on the desk.

She sees the look on Serena’s face and her lips pull wide in a slow smile. A smile that brightens when Serena gets up out of her chair, walks around their desks and stops in front of Bernie. Serena turns the angle of the chair towards her and their knees bump. Serena bends down, the material of her singlet pulling tight and down slightly: offering Bernie a pleasant view of her chest. Serena leans forward, their faces inches apart, and Bernie licks her lips.

“Fancy doing me?” Serena whispers, faux seriousness etched on her face.

Bernie manages to keep a straight face for all of three seconds before bursting out laughing. Serena pretends to looks irritated for approximately two second before a bubble of laughter works its way up her throat.

“Really, Serena?” Voice choked with laughter. “That was terrible.”

“It was, wasn’t it,” Serena admits, standing up and sitting on the edge of the desk. “But it cheered you up.”

“Yes, it did,” Bernie admits, rolling backwards a few inches to look up at Serena. “Thank you.”

“Hopefully enough to do your paperwork?” Serena asks as sweetly as possible. “So it’s not cluttering up the damn desk,” she adds, tone turned flat.

“Well, not quite,” Bernie retorts. “I could use some further encouragement,” she says, head tilting to the side and obviously angling for a kiss.

Serena huffs and pushes off the desk. Serena smiles and places her hands on the armrests of Bernie’s chair. Serena leans forward in earnest and Bernie closes the gaps prematurely; bounces back in her chair as Serena pushes her into the corner of the office. 

Bernie’s legs flail as she rolls and she giggles as Serena parks them beside the filing cabinet. Serena muffles Bernie with her mouth as she straddles her lap. Kisses Bernie quite thoroughly, slowly grinds her hips as her fingers play with the blonde fluff behind her ear.

Something niggles at the corner of her peripheries and she breaks away. Cranes her neck over the cabinet to look towards the door but sees nothing out of place in either the office or the doorway.

“What is it?” Bernie asks, her arms around Serena’s waist.

“Nothing, apparently,” Serena replies before dipping her head again and crushing their lips together.

Unbeknownst to either of them, the nothing was, in fact, a something. Or rather, more accurately, a someone. One Henrik Hanssen who upon walking in their office and seeing the two co-leads of AAU hidden in the corner of their office, completely wrapped in one another, immediately turned tail and walked right back out again. The same Henrick Hanssen currently standing slightly to the right of the doorway and out of sight trying desperately to wipe the embarrassment from his face.

Hanssen manages to schools his features and walks about the ward for a few minutes before he walks back towards the consultants’s office. Surely they must have stopped all that nonsense by now, he thinks as he stops in the doorway of the office, only to find that they have not, in fact, ceased any of that nonsense. He bites the bullet and knocks on the door, loudly, clearing his throat at the same time just to be safe. He keeps his face blank as the two of them spring apart like they have been electrocuted.

“Do you have a moment, Ms. Campbell?” He asks blandly as the two women blush fiercely and smooth down their clothes.

“Of course Mr. Hanssen, what can I do for you?” Serena asks, raising a hand to fix her hair as she strides forward.

Hansen stands back in the doorway and gestures out towards the ward. Serena takes the hint and walks out of the office, Hanssen in toe, leaving Bernie alone in the office. She grabs her chair and wheels is back to the desk, sits down and lets a smile spread out on her face. Spots the pile of paperwork still on her desk and curses.

 

*

 

The sky is bright blue and mostly clear: a smattering of white clouds drift on a slight breeze. There are bees floating around enjoying the pollen of flowers enjoying the summer sun. The park is bristling, full of people taking advantage of the good weather. Some out for a stroll in the afternoon sun, other with their dogs: playing catch over the in the corner or walking about the perimeter of the park.Others still watch over their children entertaining themselves on the play equipment.

Serena and Bernie walk slowly walk past the playground, iced drinks in hand to balance the warmth of the day, as smile at the sound of children’s laughter. Bernie sees a tiny brunette in a floral dress slip down the slide at breakneck speed and turns to Serena.

“Have you heard from Ellie?” Bernie asks, before sipping on her ice mocha.

“Not since the text last week,” Serena response, seeing the same child. “She said she might be out of contact for a bit, while she she stays on that sheep farm she was raving about before she left. Apparently it has horrid reception or something. Must be interference from all the wool.” Serena giggles at her own joke

They keep walking and Serena turns her attention away from the play equipment and towards Bernie. “How’s your brood? Cameron settled into his new ward?”

“Sounds like it. From his last phone call I rather got the impression he is fitting in rather well.” Bernie scrunches her nose with affection.

Another tiny child runs out in front of them, almost tumbling them over: blonde ponytail swishing behind her as she sprints towards the sandbox. Serena has to sidestep to avoid losing her ice coffee. She notices Bernie watching the pint sized blonde run away.

“Oh, didn’t get a chance to mention when you got home last night,” Bernie starts. “I got a rather odd call from Charlotte yesterday. She says she has something important to tell me except she won’t say what it is over the phone so we’re going to lunch on Friday.”

“Important news but not over the phone?” Serena repeats before taking a sip of her coffee. “That sounds ominous. Debts?”

“No, I asked about that,” Bernie says serious. “She didn’t seem to upset, just a bit nervous, so I don’t think it’ll be bad new, but she wasn’t excited either. I don’t want to think about it too much and get myself worked up.”

Serena does not response, simply reaches over to brush her fingers across the back of Bernie’s hand in reassurance. Bernie turns her hand over and tangles their fingers together and Serena does not pull away. Smiles at Bernie and flexes into the hold. They hold hands as they trace the outskirt of the play equipment. Keep holding hands as they walk further along the perimeter of the park, watching everyone enjoying the summer sun.

They walk towards the other corner of the park, towards the flurry of movement that is people playing fetch with their dogs. They walk across a bridge over the pond and Bernie pulls her hand away to lean on the railing. Looks down at the pond to see if there are any goldfish. Her search is unsuccessful and Serena pulls her away when she spots a free park bench on the other side of the bridge near the edge of the part.

They stroll over the bridge and look out over the pond while sipping on the last of their coffees as the sun shines. Bernie’s hair gleams golden in the sun and it catches the corner of Serena’s eye. She turns to Bernie: her profile sharp slopes and curved lines. Feels her heart thump as she takes in the odd blend of mismatched features that, on Bernie, is absolutely perfect.

Serena shuffles closer on the park bench and leans over to kiss Bernie. Bernie kisses her back, raising her hand to rest it on Serena’s cheek, as Serena chases the last hint of the chocolate on Bernie’s tongue. They break apart, stopping a few centimetres away from one another. They smile: eyes slightly blurry with the closeness.

Serena snuffles back in the bench and Bernie darts forward for one last kiss. Serena squeaks slightly in surprise and opens her mouth. Melts as Bernie kisses her thorougher and slow: the kind that makes her lips tingle and stomach tremble long after Bernie pulls away.

Caught up in each other as they are they forget the world around them. Thus when a ball hits the ground a few feet away and rolls to a stop around their feet it is unbeknownst to them. A dog bounds after it and runs straight into Bernie’s legs headfirst.

Bernie breaks away at the surprise and her mostly empty cup goes flying through the air. She cusses at the force of the impact as she half jumps up and half scrambles and ends up with her arm trapped between the bench and Serena’s face.

Serena looks around in a daze: her mind still concerned with kissing Bernie. Her eyes focus as a young woman comes pounding towards them.

“God, I’m so sorry!” She yells as she runs, lease folded over and scrunched in her hand. “We were playing catch and I threw it too far and she just kept going…” Serena knows the woman would have kept talking is she had not needed to pant her breathe back.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine!” Bernie assures the dog owner and she sit square on the bench. “Just startled me, is all,” she explains as she looks down at the dog, who has taken to sniffing her shoes. “May I pat?”

“Yes!” The woman nods vehemently, looking so relieved no one is hurt or angry that she might just give away her first born if somebody asked, and all but pushes the dog even closer towards Bernie. She gesture to the ears. “She loves a good scratch.”

Serena smiles as Bernie leans down to scrunch the dog’s face with two hands. Flops her head to side and grins wider when Bernie tells her the dog is a good girl. Serena laughs as Bernie coos and coddles a canine version of herself and marvels at how Bernie Wolfe manages to make Serena fall more in love with her every day by virtue of simply existing. Makes Serena love her by just being Bernie.

 

*

 

It is close to midnight and moonlight flits in through the open curtain of their bedroom; illuminating Serena’s bare back lighting up the scars on her shoulders and the white sheet tangled around her hips. Bernie hums as she traces circles over warm skin so velvet soft she barely believes it is real. But she knows it is, that Serena is real, and that she really is lying next to her: messy hair and kiss bruised lips and bite marks on her back from a few hours ago.

Serena sniffles and shuffles and opens her eyes. Sees Bernie staring down at her with nothing but adoration in her eyes. Looks back with eyes just as full and smiles. She stretches and rolls and flops down onto her back. Beckons Bernie to burrow into her shoulder.

Bernie lies on the bed and Serena’s collarbone and tangles their legs together. She can smell the salt on Serena’s skin and darts her tongue out taste the tang. Serena moans and writhes a little and relaxes.

“Tonight was wonderful,” Serena says with a tinge of heat in her voice.

“Yes, it was,” Bernie purrs, sliding closer. The sheet glides over her skin and rasp over the hand print on her arse as she nibbles at Serena’s neck.

“God no, Bernie, I’ll die,” Serena huffs and tries to squirm away. Bernie laughs and wiggles back to give Serena some space. Serena ponders the absence for a moment before scrunching her nose and wiggling back. “But maybe after some sleep, and we wake up a bit more refreshed…” Serena trails off hopefully and Bernie chuckles.

“Anything you want, Serena,” she says. “Anything at all,” she whispers with more weight to her words than she lets on. Serena seems to resister the weight anyway and moves to repositions herself; snuggles down the mattress and turns to look at Bernie lying so close.

Serena looks at Bernie and Bernie has to hold her breath because Serena is staring at her like Bernie is the most precious thing in the world. Suddenly Bernie’s body is too small and her chest cavity is no where near big enough for both her heart and her lungs and she cannot breathe.

Serena’s raises her hand to Bernie’s face, starts tracing the lines of her features with featherlight fingertips.

Serena traces her eyebrow and her cheek bone and the bump on her chin. Bernie still cannot breathe. Serena brushes over her lips, rests her pointer on the swell of Bernie’s bottom lip and Bernie lets out a haggard breathe. Presses her lips to Serena’s fingertip, the tops of her fingers, her knuckles, her wrist, and the palm of her hand before it slides across Bernie’s cheek.

“I love you,” Bernie whispers in the dim.

Serena smiles: smiles that specific bright smile that Bernie craves with every fibre of her being. That singular precious smile that makes Bernie want to move mountains and scream from treetops until she is blue in the face. That gorgeous glorious smile Serena saves just for Bernie, when Bernie says she loves Serena.

Bernie never stops wanting to see that smile. But she feels like she needs to earn each and every one she sees so she never repeats herself in close succession. Even when the desire to tell Serena she is the most sublime creature in the whole world is so strong it hurts. She stays silent and tells Serena with her body instead, and works away in silences to be worthy of Serena’s love, until she has earned the right to see that smile again. 

And when she has, earned the right, she chooses her moments carefully. Waits until the timing is perfect and lets those sweet delicate words fall from her mouth and Serena smiles at her like the sun and Bernie has to pull herself back from flying so close that her wings melt.

“I know you do,” Serena replies, voice soft and kind. She is so bright and burning and Bernie has to look away. Serena waits, till Bernie is ready to see her without spots in her eyes. Bides her time until Bernie can bear to look at her again. “I love you, too.”

Bernie sometimes wonders if the tachycardia she gets every time she hears those words will ever pass. She wants to repeat herself, wants to say it again: almost manages but not quite. Bernie just smiles, slips her arms around Serena’s waist, and pulls her close. Kisses her slow and soft and sweet until she is trembling in her arms and Serena begs her to stop. Says it is all too much. That she needs to sleep.

Bernie nods solemnly, steals one last kiss, and settles down to sleep: falls asleep with Serena’s breath puffing against her lips.

She wake up just the same: Serena’s breathe on her lips and their faces only inches apart.

Bernie leans forward to kiss Serena once. Serena stirs. Kisses her twice. Serena murmurs. Kisses her thrice. Serena cracks an eyelid. She sees Bernie through sleepy glazed over eyes and smiles. Bernie feels her heart sing and her chest tighten and she leans forward to kisses Serena again: forever and for as long as Serena will let her.


End file.
